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MustaphaMond’sDepartmentofPropaganda
“Wheelsmustturnsteadily,butcannotturnuntended.Theremustbementotend
them,menassteadyasthewheelsupontheiraxles,sanemen,obedientmen,stable
incontentment.”
Introduction
CongratulationsonyourjobofferandwelcometoMustaphaMond'sDepartmentof
Propaganda!Asanewemployee,itisimperativethatyouunderstandclearlyand
completelyyourroleinourbravenewworldofstability,harmony,andnever-
surpassedhumanhappiness.Pleasereadthefollowingclosely.
TheDepartmentofPropagandaplaysakeyroleinmaintainingtheparadisewehave
constructed.Thisworldofoursdidnotcomeaboutbyaccident-infact,mankind
almostdestroyeditselffirst,andonlytheprospectofimminentextinctionthrough
instabilityandwarbroughtaboutthenecessarychangesleadingtoabetter
tomorrow.Wehavelessfreedomnowthaninprevioussocieties,butwearehappier
andmorestableforit;infact,wehavediscoveredthatstabilityismoreimportant
thanfreedom.Ourwayoflifeiscontrolledandplanneddowntothesmallestdetails,
andendlessattentionandcareisrequiredifsocietyistomaintainitssteady
progresstowardsaneverimprovingqualityoflife.Hence,yourjobinthe
DepartmentofPropaganda.Youplayavitalroleinthehealthofourstate.In
attendingtotheorganizationandrationaleofoursociety,wecanneverrestinour
effortstoensurestabilitythroughsocialengineeringandadvancedscience.
Asyouknow,oursloganrepeats:"Nocivilizationwithoutstability.Nosocialstability
withoutindividualstability."Individualcitizensneedtoknowtheirroleinsociety
andhowtofulfilltheirexpectations;everyonemustberemindedhowtokeep
happy,stable,andhowtherebytokeepthegearsofoursocialmachinerunning
smoothly.Yourjobispreciselytoremindthemofthiscorrectwaytolive.Virtueand
sanityinourworldrely,inlargepart,onhowwellyoudoyourjob.Youmustsupply
thehealthythoughtsthatwilloccupythemindsofourcitizenry.Youmustcraftthe
powerfulwordsanddynamicimagesthateffortlesslybuteffectivelypersuadeand
thereinensureobedience.YoureffortshereattheDepartmentofPropagandaare
centraltothestabilityandstrengthofourcivilization.Theideasyoufashionand
thencommunicatearethegluewhichhelpsholdoursocialstructuretogether,the
greasethatkeepsthemachinehummingsmoothlyandcontentedly.Goodluck!
Task
YouwillbeassignedtooneoffourDepartmentofPropagandasub-departments
responsibleforreinforcingcorrectthoughtandcorrespondinglycorrectbehavior:
Shop'tilYouDropSub-department:
Youareresponsibleforpromotingtheideathatanincreaseinproductionand
consumptionleadtohappinessandvirtue.Newerisbetter!Moreisbest!Oldishorrid!
BetterLivingThroughTestTubesSub-department
Everyonebelongstoeveryoneelse!Andallhavearoleandafunctioninsociety.
Everyonehastodotheirpart!Tounderstandandactonthisistobehappyandtolive
healthily.Onecannotberemindedofthislongenough-orforgettheugliness,squalor,
andirrationalityoftheoldfamily-modelbasedon[sic]"parents"!
NeveraDullMomentSub-department
WhetheritbeCentrifugalBumblePuppy,ObstacleGolf,ortheFeelies,anormalperson
justwantstohavenon-stop24-7fun!Sensorystimulationisthehighestpursuitofthe
bestformofhappiness.Don'tbethelasttoindulgeinthelatestgreatestamusement!
Andlet'salldoitTOGETHER!
HappinessisaPillSub-department
Feelingabitundertheweather?Gloomythoughtscloudingyourday?TakeaSoma
vacation!Popapill(s)andkissthoseraincloudsgood-bye.Reliefisjustadoseaway!
Whatareyouwaitingfor?TAKEITNOW!
WiththeresourcesandvirtuallyunlimitedmediaaccessoftheState,yourjobisto
helpdesignandshootapublicserviceannouncementforyoursub-departmenttobe
broadcastovertheairwavesandthroughthedigitalpipesofourworld.Yourvideo
presentationshouldbepolishedandsmooth,upbeatyettothepoint,and
simplebutcatchy.Itmusteffectivelyanddramaticallyconveythemessage
thatobediencetothevaluesandorganizationofoursocietyleadsto
individualvirtueandsanity,therebybringingaboutstabilityandhappiness
forall.Thebroadcastshouldlastbetween4-5minutesandshouldbeperfectly
understandableandequallydigestibletobothanAlpha-PlusandDelta-Minus.Your
messagewillbebroadcasttensofthousandsoftimesoverweeksandevenmonths
andmillionsofviewerswillbeexposedtoit,soyourworkmustbeofthehighest
quality.Itcannotseemstaleandboringafteronlyahandfulofviewings.Beadvised!
InselectingyoutoworkinhisDepartmentofPropaganda,MustaphaMondhasthe
highestconfidenceinyourabilitytoproducecreativeworkrealizing(andeven
surpassing!)thesehighexpectations.Inparticular,hewishesthatyounotlosesight
ofthefollowingquestions:
Howcanyoufashionyourmessagesoastogainmaximumacceptancebythe
targetaudience?
Whattrickscanyouusetomakeyourmessageseemreasonableandnot
overbearing?
Whattechniquescanyouusetoinfluencepeoplewithouttheirfeeling
manipulatedorcontrolled?
Isyourmessageupbeatandisthetoneappropriatetoourbravenewworld?
Willyourslogansand/orjinglesstayinpeople'smindsafterwards?Arethey
simple?
Aretheycatchy?
Isthevideobroadcastpolishedandattentiongrabbing?
Doesitreinforcethecoremessageofyoursub-department,aswellasthe
generalvaluesoftheWorldState?
MustafaMondwishesyougoodluckinthedischargeofyourduties,amongthe
mostimportantinourbravenewworldoforderandhappiness!Inhavinggivenyou
fullreigntobecreativeanddevelopyourownideasofexactlyhowtogetour
messageacrossinthevideo,Mondhopestobepleasantlysurprisedbyyourwork.
Don'tlethimdown!
RESOURCES
BraveNewWorld,byAldousHuxley
Diagrams:
Community,Identity,Stability
(http://www.foothilltech.org/rgeib/english/bnw/essay/Community-IdentityStability.jpg),
Leninavs.JohntheSavage,andtheUs vs. Them
http://www.foothilltech.org/rgeib/english/bnw/essay/Lenina-v-John.jpg
THEPROCESS
Thefollowinginstructionswillleadyoutosuccessinyourbroadcast:
1.Identityyoursub-department.
2.Discoverothermembersofsub-department.
3.Decideonroles:1editor/leader,1-3actors,and1-3script-writers.
4.Brainstormastoideas,themes,andslogans.
5.FilloutproposalformandpresentittoMustaphaMondforapproval.
6.Writescriptsforindividualmembersofsub-department.
7.Practiceandrehearsescripts.
8.Incostumereportforvideoshooting.
9.Editvideoandprepareitforbroadcast.
10.Filloutself-evaluationandgroupevaluation.
11.SubmitvideotoMustaphaMondforevaluation.
Evaluation
Thisassignmentwillbeevaluatedaccordingtothefollowingcriteria:
Isvideobetween4-5minutesinduration?
Doesvideoeffectivelycommunicatethemessageofyoursub-department?
Doesitimmediatelygrabviewerattention?Ismessageeasytounderstand?
Isvideocreativeandpowerful?Doesitusecatchy,easytorememberslogans
and/orjingles?
CouldyouseethisvideoactuallybeingbroadcastintheWorldState?
CouldyouseeitintheplotofHuxley'sbook?
Haveallmembersofsub-departmentplayedaroleincreationandproductionof
video?
CONCLUSION
Whenyoucompletethisprojectyoushouldbeabletoanswerthefollowing
questions:
Isitpossiblethatsomethingthatlooksinterestingandhighlyamusingbutis,in
fact,poisonforyou?Canavideomessageattractivetotheeyeandear
andburstwithenergyandenthusiasm,yetinfactbebanal?Canvideobethe
toolofbrainwashingandenslavement?